Summary
- Machine Gun Kelly has been making music for over a decade, releasing six albums and headlining seven tours since 2007.
- AJ Tyus, a backing guitarist, was with MGK's band for four years before leaving to focus on his own music in 2021.
- Steve 'Baze' Basil, who plays keyboard and bass, has been with MGK since 2017 and is known for his hardcore style and love for motorcycles.
Machine Gun Kelly is an artist that has quickly risen and remained at the top of the charts for several years. The almost 33-year-old has dipped his toes into the worlds of rapping, acting, singing, and songwriting. With a career that started in 2007, he has spent over 16 years honing his skills and releasing music.
The beginning of MGK's career involved making mixed tapes from 2007-2010 before getting discovered and signed to Bad Boy Records. Since 2012, he has headlined seven tours as well as co-headlined the 2019 The Big Justin Bieber Big Tour. The artist has been nominated for dozens of awards, and won a whopping 26 of them so far.
Machine Gun Kelly has been accumulating his perfect band over the years, starting in 2017. At this point in time, he has six people in his backing band to tour with him and help him create new music. Here is MGK's band and a look into their lives.
8 Machine Gun Kelly Began Releasing Music In 2007
Machine Gun Kelly has been making music for over a decade. Back in 2007, he released his first mixed tape before being signed to Bad Boy Records in the early 2010s. His first studio album, Lace Up, was a major hit when it debuted in 2012 and put him on the musical map. MGK has released a total of six albums and headlined seven tours, getting most of his band together in 2017.
Along with his musicality, Machine Gun Kelly is known for his relationship with actress Megan Fox. Not only is their relationship filled with some controversial decisions, but the role he plays in Fox's co-parenting journey has been up in the air.
7 JP 'Rook' Cappelletty Has Been MGK's Drummer Since 2012
JP "Rook" Cappelletty has been with Machine Gun Kelly since the beginning. He joined the band in 2012 as the drummer for the 'Hostile Takeover' tour when he was still in high school.
Not only is Rook a talented drummer, but he also helped compose two of MGK's music videos: Why Are You Here and Hollywood Whore. In 2021, he appeared with some of his bandmates in the production Downfalls High, starring Sydney Sweeney and Chase Hudson.
6 Brandon 'Slimxx' Allen Is Backing Vocals & Keyboard Player
Brandon "SlimXX" Allen has spent many years playing keyboards and singing backing vocals for Machine Gun Kelly. He also helps out on the technical side of the music, lending his talents as a music director and producer for the band. Slimxx and MGK have been friends and collaborators since the very beginning, with their friendship dating back more than a decade.
SlimXX helped MGK produce the song Taurus featuring Naomi Wild for the major motion picture Taurus in 2022. According to IMDb, he is credited with the composition of nine songs for Machine Gun Kelly between 2017-2022.
5 Steve 'Baze' Basil Has Played Keyboard & Bass For MGK Since 2017
The last member of Machine Gun Kelly's band that has been with him since the group first formed is Steve "Baze" Basil. Baze plays both bass and keyboard, lending whichever talent is needed at the time. After noticing his bandmate's success with Naomi Wild for Taurus, he decided to join the artist for the upcoming short she is creating entitled ATNCTE.
Steve Basil is hardcore to the bone, constantly rocking leather jackets and combat boots to go along with his long hair and beard. He enjoys zooming down the streets on his motorcycle when he is not busy with making music.
4 AJ Tyus Was A Backing Guitarist For 4 Years
AJ Tyus has been a professional guitar player for several years. He joined Machine Gun Kelly's band in 2017 with most of the others, accompanying him on three headliners and one co-headlining tour.
While Tyus enjoyed this gig and got along well with MGK, he ended up deciding to leave the band and instead focus on his own music in 2021. He has only made one post on Instagram since his split, and it is a video of him with his guitar from September 2022.
3 Travis Barker Joined MGK On The Drums In 2019
Travis Barker joined Machine Gun Kelly's band in 2019 as a second drummer. Barker came to the group with a great resume, having played with the well-renown rock band Blink-182 since 1998, Transplants for 15 years, and 16 other artists for various studio albums and/or tours.
Barker is not only known for his talent as a drummer, but also for his relationship with Kourtney Kardashian. The couple had known each other for years before confirming their dating status in 2021. Kourtney and Travis got engaged in October 2021, and officially tied the knot in May of last year. Barker and Machine Gun Kelly are especially close, as their partners (Kardashian and Fox) are close friends and brand reps together.
2 Justin 'Jus' Lyons Has Played Guitar For MGK For 2 Years
One of the newer band members to join Machine Gun Kelly's group is Justin "Jus" Lyons. Jus is a professional guitarist and joined the band in 2021. He goes by the pseudonym The Guitar Slayer, and even has his own merchandise with his brand name and photo played across different pieces of clothing.
Justin Lyons not only plays guitar, but also enjoys the producing aspect of creation. He has had a hand in producing for musicians, television shows, and various film projects.
1 Guitarist Sophie Lloyd Joined Machine Gun Kelly's Band
The newest member of Machine Gun Kelly's band is Sophie Lloyd, a guitar player and the only female bandmate. She joined the group just last year after previously having more of a solo career. Lloyd released an EP in 2018 and three singles over the last four years.
In the last week, Sophie has been the subject of many headlines involving cheating allegations between MGK and Megan Fox. However, Sophie Lloyd recently posted photos of herself with her long-term boyfriend, not-so-subtly reminding everyone she is in a loving and committed relationship. The guitarists management team has come forward calling the rumors "disrespectful."
"Sophie Lloyd is a professional, accomplished musician who has been needlessly dragged into the media based off of meritless accusations made by social media," her management team said in a statement. "Any suggestion that she has ever acted in an unprofessional manner or stepped out of her relationship are untrue. It's disrespectful to her as a female artist and poor journalism and social commentary to be reporting anything else."
